Automatic cut-out for electric apparatus



(No Modei.)

J. DU SHANE.

AUTOMATIC CUT-CUT FOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

No. 312,985. Patented Feb. 24, 1885.

WITNESSES I (I flttorney I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES DU SHANE, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OUT FOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,985, dated February24, 1885.

. Application tiled May 15, 188;.

T 0 aZZ whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, JAMES Du SHANE, of South Bend, in the county of St.Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Autoi'natic Out- Outs for-Electric Apparatus; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part ofthisspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electric switches andautomatic cutouts, being especially applicable to electric lamps; and ithas forits objects to provide improved means for shunting the currentfrom the carbons through a short circuit at any time during theoperation of the lamp, so that the carbons may be renewed, adj usted,orrepaired in case of accident,and also to provide for antomaticallyshort-circuiting the current when. resistance becomes excessive in thecarbons from any reason, and thus prevent injury to the lamp and itsappendages. These objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which t Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofmy improved device, showing theparts in normal position. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the parts shift-ed to short-circuit the current,and Fig. 3 is a modification of my invention.

The letter A indicates the bottom of an electric lamp or other suitablesupport, and B two flat springs,which are bent at their lower ends, asshown, and secured to the bottom. by means of the screws 0, or otherfastening devices. Through the said springs atl) pass the adj usting orset screws E, which enter the bottom or support, and serve to adjust thetension of said springs. To the upper ends of the springs are pivotedthe arms E, which are also pivoted to the upper end of a bar of softiron, G, which hangs between the springs. The said bar is provided withbeveled metallic lugs H on opposite sides, for the purpose hereinafterexplained.

The letter I indicates a vertical tube,which is secured to the bottom orsupport above mentioned, and which is provided with flanges at the topand bottom. The lower end of the bar G extends partly into the upper endof. the said tube, as shown, and at its lower end (No model.)

I has con uected to it a vertical rod, K,which is screw-threaded at L,and passes through an opening in the bottom or support, thescrewthreaded portion being provided with a nut, M, by which theposition of the bar Gmay be adjusted. The lower end of the rod isprovided with a knob, N, by means of which it may be operated by hand toswitch or shunt the current, as more fully hereinafter described. To thetop flange of the vertical tube, diametrically opposite each other, aresecured two bent metallic contact pieces or bearings, I, the parts S ofwhich are bent at an angle corresponding to the beveled faces ofthe lugsou the bar G. One of these contactpiecesis insulated by means of arubber or other nonconducting washer, R, and is connected by means of asuitable wire, T, with the negative binding-post U of the lamp-circuit,a resistance-coil, V, being interposed between the contact-piece andsaidbinding-post, if desirable. The other contact-piece contive carbon.

The operation of this part of my invention .is as follows: \Vhen thelamp is in operation, the parts are in position shown in Fi 1, and thecurrent passes through the carbons in the usual manner. Should it becomedesirable for any reason to shunt or shift the current from the carbons,the bar G is drawn downward by means of the rod and knob until the armsF fall below a horizontal line, when the springs will act to force thebar downward, bringing the lugs in contact with the contact pieces,andholding them against the same with proper pressure to insure perfectcontact,thus short-circuiting the current to the negative post P andfrom thence to the line, diverging the current from the carbons.

To put the lamps into operation again, the rod is elevated, elevatingthe bar G until the arms are above the horizontal line, when the springsact to force and hold it up so as to throw the lugs out of contactwiththe contactpieces and send the current through the carbons.

When it is desired to use my invention as an automatic cutout, thevertical tube is surrounded by a solenoid or helix of insulated wire,asindicated by the letter A. This solenoid or helix is of a resistancegreater than thi nects with the lamp-circuit back of the posi-' normalresistance to the current through the carbons, and connects at one endwith the line back ofone of the carbons and at the other end withtheline back ofthe other. The core or bar G is so adjusted by means ofthe set-screws that when the resistance in the line rises above thenormal point, and an excess of current is passed through the solenoid orhe1iX,the bar or core G will be drawn into the tube until the arms arebrought below the horizontal line, when the springs will act toshort-circuit the current, as before mentioned,diverting it from thecarbons and preventing any injury to the lamp or its appendages, withoutaffecting any other lamps in theline.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, asingle flat spring is employedinstead of the two springs betore mentioned. The said spring is bent asshown, and secured to an upright, B. The uprightis provided with lugs Gone at each side ot-the springand between the lugs is pix'oted an arm,D,which has two bearing surfaces, EE,arranged at an angle to each other,and adapted to bear against the spring to hold said arm in an elevatedor depressed condition, to throw and hold the bar and its lugs out of orinto contact with the contactpieces, as before mentioned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

1. The combination, in an electric switch, of stationary contact-piecesforming part of a short circuit connecting with the line-circuit makerand breaker, and the flat springs and leverarm to hold the contact makerand breaker away from or against the contactpieces when initiallystarted in proper direction, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the springs secured to a suitable support, ofthe arms pivoted to the same, the vertical bar pivoted to said arms andextending into a vertical guide-tube, the contact-pieees secured to saidtube and conneeting with the line-circuits, the beveled lugs on the bar,and the operating-rod having an adjusting-nut, the whole arranged to beoperated to short-circuit the current or send it through thecarbons,substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the springs,the pivoted arms and thedependentbarand adjustingrod and its lugs, ot'the tube, itscontact-pieces connected with the line-circuit, and the solenoid orhelix surrounding the tube and connecting with the line-circuit, wherebythcrod is initially moved and'operated in connection with the springs toshort-circuit the current when the resistance atthe carbons becomesexcessive, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aiiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JAUES DU SHANE.

\Vituesses:

ALONZO WnRs'r, W ILLlS A. BUGBEE.

